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Hipster Fuel

Smithers Brewing Company
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🌍 Canada · American IPA · One of 380 American IPAs in hopIQ

An IPA of northwestern cut, and the beer the brewery points to when someone asks what it has for hop drinkers. It pours clear gold, with cereal malt and a touch of caramel sitting under grapefruit peel, pine and a floral note. The bitterness builds through the glass and coats rather than snaps, and the finish is dry. The recipe is reworked each time it is brewed, so the hop bill shifts from batch to batch.

ABV
6.8%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
See all American IPA alternatives →

AWARDS

Gold · 2025
BC Beer Awards
American IPA
Gold — BC Beer Awards (American IPA)
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Firmly bitter and dry.

A trim base, a hop-led finish — the classic setup for a hop-forward beer.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another American IPA.
Hop character
hoppy
citrusy
piney
floral
Malt character
malty
caramel
Fermentation & yeast
clean
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Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Hipster Fuel

Appearance

Pours a clear, bright golden hue with excellent transparency. The head is moderate and settles to a thin collar with steady lacing. Carbonation appears well-integrated, lending a fine bead that sustains throughout the glass.

clear goldmoderate headfine carbonation

Aroma

The nose leads with bright grapefruit peel and pine needle character, layered over a subtle floral undertone. Below the hop expression sits a foundation of cereal Malz and a whisper of caramel sweetness. The bouquet is clean and straightforward, with hop character dominant but not aggressive.

grapefruit peelpinefloral hintscereal Malz

Taste

Entry is smooth and malt-forward, with cereal grains and a touch of caramel providing sweetness. Mid-palate shifts into the hop expression—piney, citric, and botanical—as bitterness builds steadily rather than striking sharply. The bitterness coats the palate throughout, creating a lasting frame around the flavor rather than a crisp bite.

malty entrycitric mid-palatecoating bitternessdry development

Finish

The finish is bone-dry and lingers with pine and citrus notes. A slight resinous quality persists without becoming harsh, leading to a clean, refreshing conclusion.

drypiney aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
79
Taste
80
Appearance
78
Finish
75
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Hipster Fuel

Serve at 8–11°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Tulip glass
Recommended for this style

The curved shape concentrates hop aromas and supports a thick head. Essential for aromatic ales and IPAs where the nose is half the experience.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Hipster Fuel

About American IPA

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a American IPA?

IPAs are hop-forward ales with 5.5–7.5% ABV and IBU 40–70+. Bold hop aroma — citrus, tropical, resinous — with firm bitterness and a dry, clean finish.

Finding a similar American IPA

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same hoppy, bitter, dry character as Hipster Fuel will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other American IPAs in hopIQ

Explore all American IPA beers in hopIQ →New to American IPA? Read our guide →Browse Canada beers →

WHERE TO BUY

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